It was the day of the banquet.
All aristocrats' attention was focused on the capital imperial palace. It was a memorial banquet held only three years after the emperor's death, and the first banquet hosted by Emperor Suvi Theo, who ascended to the throne.
It was a very important position.
It wasn't just this.
It is said that the daughter, whom Duke Borreotti cherishes, will attend.
When the news came out at the time, the capital was in a lot of turmoil.
Emperor Suvi Theo whispered over the reason for inviting young Duke’s daughter to the imperial banquet. Rather than the Duke trying to take the lead under the pretext of young spirit, or to draw a lot of attention to his first banquet.
However, the nobles did not care if the rumors were true or not.
Anyway, for them, the confrontation between the imperial family and the northern part was an interesting spectacle.
Of course, no one could say that openly.This is because the owner of the northern part was scarier than the imperial family. In addition, you can see the famous Boreoti spirituality in person, so there was no opportunity like this.
Boreoti was actually quiet.
Even on the day of the banquet, the Borreotti mansion was no different from usual.
A pin might be heard to fall.
He didn't even move busily because he went to the imperial palace.
The same was true of the beast's father and daughter.
Rather, their nerves were focused elsewhere than on banquets.
"Tell us about Count Urmariti's grandfather."
Leonie, who lay in bed to take a nap, said.
There was a black lion doll in her arms.
"Go to sleep."
Paul, who came to sleep, opened a fairy tale book. It was a fairy tale book with warm content that the child often reads before going to bed.
But it was a new one that I had never read.
"Sleep tight so you won't fall asleep at the banquet".
"Going and dozing off is one of my crazy plans."
"I’d rather pee."
Paul expressed useless consideration, saying, "You only need to bring extra underwear and clothes.
"Is this dad crazy?".”
Leonie had icy cold eyes. She had no intention of defaming herself to screw up the imperial family.
"I'm kidding."
Eventually, Paul cleaned up the fairy tale book.
Even today, I couldn't turn over a single heartwarming fairy tale book.
"Are you curious about Count Urnariti?"
"Yes!"
"What are you curious about?"
"All!”
The baby beast’s eyes twinkled. Paul looked at such a child and tilted his head.
"Do you want to go to the count?"
there was a lot of concerns in the question.
"No!"
Surprised, Leonie threw her blanket down and raised herself.
"I'm just curious about my real mother and her family! Why would I leave my dad?"
Leonie emphasized over and over again that it was never like that.
Only then did Paul nod, saying he knew.He looked a little relieved.
"In addition, you have more Boreoti property."
Leonie saids he would never leave Borreti until she received it.
"Thank you for the snobbish reason."
"So tell me. Who is it?"
"You liked your aunt a lot."
There was a memory that suddenly came to mind in Paul's head.
"I love you so much.”
It was a time when he was one or two years older than Leonie.
"...I understand that you wandered around a lot for a while after your aunt died."
"Huh? If it's your aunt..."."
"Your grandmother."
"Ah..."
He's gone.
Leonie muttered helplessly.
Somehow, I felt a little out of spirits.
Yesterday, I heard from Paul that Count Urmariti remarried, so I roughly guessed. However, when I heard the truth, I was a little disappointed.
"Then who remarried?"
"The maid who was your grandmother's companion."
"Wow!"
At that moment, a forbidden thought popped up in Leonie’s head
"The triangular composition of grandmothers and grandfathers surrounding the maid...!"
"You're such a bad daughter”
Paul got serious.
And to prevent Leonie from continuing her imagination, he hurriedly changed the topic of conversation to the original.
"My aunt used to be very weak."
It was said that she passed away shortly after giving birth to Regina.
Because of that, Count Urmariti was very distressed, and he could not afford to devote his affection to Regina, who was naturally born.
"Did you hate my real mother?"
"That's not it."
It was just that I didn't have the courage to see the child right away.
Count Urmariti, who managed to control his mind, visited Regina regularly and met her even after she stayed at the Duke of Borreotti due to her fangs.
"I liked Regina a lot."
As a child, he had secretly watched Count and Regina meet.
The two always talked affectionately in a garden full of bright sunlight.
Looking at it, the young Paul was behind the corridor pillar, in the shadow.
He thought it was interesting.
This is because he had never had such a relationship with his parents.
"......"
Paul slightly twisted the tip of his eyes.
Just thinking about it for a moment brought me the lonely feeling I felt at that time.
It was only later that Paul found out that this feeling was "loneliness" at that time
"Dad?"
The small body temperature was popping and he touched the back of Paul's hand.
The feeling of cooling down became mildly warm at an amazing rate.
"What's wrong?"
Leonie stared at Paul, who suddenly became silent.
"Do you want me to lend you a vase if you want to rest?""
"...Thank you for your useless consideration.""
"Pack it, wash it, and return it."
"It's done."
It was amazing, but thanks to you, the depressed feeling disappeared.
"Does grandfather know that I'm his granddaughter?"
"I don't know."
Paul hasn't said it yet.
As always, the opinions of the parties were always important in relation to Leonie's birth.
"There are only three people who know about Leo's birth right now except for me."
Kara and Lupe, who were the first to notice, and Marquis of Pardus.
"Did the marquis know after all?”.
Leonie was disgusted. The smile of the sly marquis was vivid.
"But dad."
"Why?"
"Was the count sad?"
Leonie did not necessarily say when Count Urmariti was sad.
The two already knew that the "when" was when Regina left for the escape of love with an unidentified wanderer.
"Even after the Borreotti family gave up Regina's search, the count secretly searched alone."
"I see..."
The child's voice was deafening.
"Sad?"
Paul asked.
"Just... I feel bad..."
Leonie still didn't feel deep affection for Regina.
However, Count Urmariti, who would have found his missing daughter, was pitiful.
I felt sorry for Regina, who died early, and the ‘original’ Leonie who was left alone.
"Should it be like that for that side, too?'
Perhaps people in another world are looking for themselves so desperately.
"....."
Suddenly, the thought that came to mind quickly turned into sadness.
Her arm embracing the doll trembled in a chilling passion.
"Dad."
As Leonie asked for help, he called Paul.
"Stay until I fall asleep."
I tapped next to my lying position. Soon, there was a rustling sound and a sound of rubbing the blanket.
Paul lay next to the child and stretched out one arm.
Leonie crawled and buried her face in his arms.
"Please pat me on the back."
Pat, pat, and a large hand swept the child's back.
A small sigh of relief shook Paul's clothes.
Paul silently looked at such a daughter.
"Are you okay?"
And I asked again.
"...I'm a little sad right now."
The reason was not because of Regina and Count Urmaritii, but Leonie did not say that.
I just closed my eyes and focused on the touch, body temperature, and heart sound of my dad who took care of me.
After only calming down, Leonie opened his mouth.
"To the count grandfather, tell him later."
"Don't mention it."
"Thank you, dad."
"I shouldn't have said that".
"No."
Leonie shook her head slowly. The eyelids became heavier due to the drowsiness that came with relief.
Her eyes were also half-turned.
"Let's sleep now."
Soon a large hand was placed on the child's eyes.
The warm body temperature completely blocked Leonie's view.
Now, drowsiness has come to me endlessly.
In fact, Leonie was in the order of sleeping without hesitation.
"But I'm glad."
Just before going to bed, Leonie squeezed out her last strength and said.
"Like me, I had a dad..."
I'm so glad there was someone who worried about me, Leonie, who left such a word, fell asleep.
Evenhis patting hands did not stop until he left his seat to work.
Soon after, Paul, who got up from his seat, quietly left the room.
Connie and Mia were waiting in front of the door.
"I'll come wake her up later."
I meant to watch her sleep well without waking her up.
Connie and Mia bowed their heads, saying they understand.
"Duke."
When Paul entered the office, Lupe who was waiting him approached.
"This is the attendance list for this banquet."
"Did the marquis of Pardus gave it to you?"
"I just arrived."
"I can't help but sympathize with your father."
It is said that he drank tea with the emperor twice after coming down to the small capital after Pardus.
Externally, the marquis, who has to pretend to be an emperor to the bone, has not collapsed as much as now.
This list was evidence of the hard work.
Paul, who was looking through the list of attendances handed over, frowned.
"Allor..."
The red swan, which was proudly listed on the list, was quite annoying
Paul, who had been staring at the name for a long time, suddenly asked about the status of the north.
"Didn't you get any calls?"
"Sir Mono contacted me."
Not long ago, it was reported that the cubs released in the northern mountain range seemed to have finally settled down.
In recent years, it is said that the number of attacks on people has decreased.
"And..."
Lupe glanced at the office and lowered his voice.
"He still hasn't opened his mouth."
Paul twisted the sides of his mouth.
"Mono's interrogation must be quite tough."
You're going to endure that?
Paul, who was muttering to himself, eventually burst into laughter.
"Let’s see how far you're going."
A frightening feeling formed over the black eyes that were slowly closed and opened.
It contained contempt, ridicule, and very little respect for it.
Lupe swallowed only dry saliva in the chilling energy of Paul, who was too much to handle.
"This is what I've been thinking lately."
Then suddenly, Paul looked at the books on the desk.
They were bought not long ago at the bookstore where I stopped by while looking around the capital city with Leonie.
A scholar's thesis that shook the public last year, and a book that summarized the new or revised legislation last year.
A philosopher's book that frequently appears in long-loved management theory and academy textbooks.
And the last book that Paul ordered.
"I might have taken it too lightly."
Ancient Historic Site Investigation Report.
'There's really no harmony.'
Paul was amazed to see the books he bought. All five books were topics that were not even related to each other.
In fact, among those five, management theory and philosophy books were books that came to mind at the time.
I read them quite well when I was at the academy, but I thought they were suitable for buying them as a trick.
"It's not as easy as I thought."
Paul listened to one of the five books. At the same time as the presentation, it was a paper by a scholar who caused a tremendous wave.
"Which one are you talking about?""
"Both."
Red swan, yellow bird.
Paul, who was peeking at the cover of the book, put the book on the desk.
"Ardea Bosgruni"'
It was the name of the scholar who had been written where his hand happened to pass by.